SNP anti-war motion fails

SNP anti-war motion fails

The SNP brought the debate

The Scottish Parliament has voted at the end of a three-hour debate against an anti-war motion tabled by the Scottish National Party.

Despite several speeches by rebel Labour MSPs against military action in the Middle East, a majority of MSPs backed a Labour amendment calling Saddam Hussein a "danger to the international community".

The motion put forward by SNP leader John Swinney was amended and carried by 68 votes to 53, with four abstentions.

But 57 MSPs supported a rebel amendment in the name of the Labour left-winger John McAllion which said the case for military action had not been proved.

Earlier, Mr Swinney told the chamber: "There is no UN mandate for military action in Iraq.

There is more than a hint of political opportunism in the motion before us today

David McLetchie
Scottish Tory leader

"In the foreseeable future there will be no UN mandate for military action in Iraq.

"For those of us who believe in the rule of international law that means there should be no military action in Iraq."

He said UN inspections had been shown to work, with Iraq agreeing to destroy many of its weapons.

Mr Swinney said: "The international community has asked the inspectors to undertake an onerous task.

'Last resort'

"Let's give them the time they need to complete the job we have asked them to do."

His party's motion said there was "no case" for war and insisted military action should not happen without "a specific UN mandate".

The Liberal Democrats took a similar view, saying that strikes on Iraq must only happen as a last resort.

Leader Jim Wallace said Britain and America were giving every impression that they would bypass the UN if they could not get their own way.

The parliament's debating chamber

"We must surely give the UN and its weapon inspectors the time they need to do their job," he said.

Mr McConnell backed Tony Blair during the debate.

"Because we want a peaceful solution, because we want to back the authority of the UN, I believe our prime minister is right to propose this week that Iraq be given one final deadline and the clarity of simple tests to meet," he argued.

Mr McConnell also launched a number of attacks on the SNP.

He said its former leader Alex Salmond had been wrong when he described air strikes against Serbia in 1999 as "unpardonable folly".

UN resolution

However, turning to the situation in Iraq, Mr McConnell said: "It would be an act of unpardonable folly to stand on the sidelines and do nothing."

He accused the SNP of changing its position on military action and showing a "lack of principle".

"Never have so many inconsistencies been expressed so often by so few," he said.

The Labour amendment condemned Saddam Hussein as "a danger" and insisted he should "cooperate fully" with UN resolution 1441.

Saddam: "A danger to the world"

It also noted that the UK Government wanted "to secure a further resolution in the UN Security Council before any military action".

Tory leader David McLetchie accepted that the SNP was entitled to bring the issue at Holyrood.

"However, I think we are equally entitled to point out that there is more than a hint of political opportunism in the motion before us today."

He claimed that the SNP and the Lib Dems were "competing for the mantle of the most two-faced party in Scottish politics".

Mr McLetchie also said people should have "the courage of our convictions" and support the UK Government.

Supported amendment

Labour's John McAllion asked the parliament to back his amendment.

The Dundee East MSP argued that the case for war had not been made.

Green MSP Robin Harper said he supported Mr McAllion's amendment.

He said: "A second UN resolution achieved through bribing and bullying in the Security Council will not make war more legitimate."

It is not appropriate to engage in this massacre of innocent men, children and women

Tommy Sheridan
SSP leader

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan also urged MSPs to back Mr McAllion's amendment.

"Let's send a powerful, unified message from this chamber, simply put, that we don't believe the case for war has been made" he said.

"It is not appropriate to engage in this massacre of innocent men, children and women."

Former Health Minister Susan Deacon said: "I cannot support a course of action which lacks a clear mandate at home and abroad."